Principles in Community and Public
Health Nursing
A client is being cared for by a community health nurse when the client informs the nurse that
they require a kidney transplant but that their insurance has been terminated. In order to provide
this client with resources, the nurse ought to be aware of which ethical principle. a. Veracity
b. Autonomy
c. Accountability
d. Justice - ANS-d. Justice
Justification: The nurse is demonstrating fairness, which is an ethical principle. The goals of
community and public health nursing are the same: to ensure that all patients receive equitable
health care and access to resources. A community health nurse is reinforcing education on
insulin administration to a client who has diabetes mellitus. Which of the following elements of
Nursing's Social Contract is the nurse demonstrating?
a. Collaboration
b. Ethical practice
c. The freedom to practice d. Promotion of the health of the public - ANS-c. Autonomy of
practice
Rationale: The nurse is demonstrating the element of autonomy of practice of nursing's social
contract. Autonomy of practice involves providing education of disease management and
insulin administration within the scope and standards of practice for a community health nurse.
A community health nurse is teaching new nurses about a situation where a nurse forgot to
refer a client to a social worker, which delayed the client's medication coverage. Which of the
following actions by the nurse demonstrates the element of responsibility and accountability
under nursing's social contract?
a. The nurse wants to talk about their workload with their supervisor. b. The nurse explains the
reason why the delay occurred.
c. The nurse makes excuses for the delay.
d. The nurse accepts fault in the delay of the client's medication coverage. - ANS-d. The nurse
accepts fault in the delay of the client's medication coverage.
Justification: The nurse is demonstrating the social contract's responsibility and accountability
by accepting responsibility for the situation. The nurse is open about the situation and has
acknowledged responsibility. A clinic employs a community health nurse to treat numerous
clients with mental health needs who do not have homes, but there is insufficient follow-up care.
How can the nurse implement Provision 9 of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of
Ethics?
a. Take charge of making the community clinic's mental health care more secure. b. To avoid
crossing professional boundaries, allow mental health caregivers to address the issue. c.
, Improve commitment to providing the best mental health care possible through continuing
education.
d. Write a letter to the head of the clinic to report the need for mental health follow-up care. -
ANS-d. Write a letter to the head of the clinic to report the need for mental health follow-up
care.
Rationale: Provision 9 of the Code of Ethics discusses the need for the nursing profession to
address national and global health concerns, as well as be involved with shaping policies
through political action, which includes writing a letter to report and address the issue. The
nurse is advocating for the need for mental health follow-up care.
A community health nurse reports that some families are in desperate need of basic
preventative health care services. Which one of the following principles is in favor of providing
resources to families in need in the community? a. Justice
b. Beneficence
c. Autonomy
d. ANS-b: non-maleficence. Beneficence
Justification: The nurse is practicing beneficence, an ethical principle. Being beneficent means
acting in the client's best interest and protecting them from harm. A nurse is caring for a client
who asks how their food choices might affect their blood pressure. To which of the following
members of the interprofessional team should the nurse refer this client?
a. Kinesiologist
b. Dietitian
c. Social worker
d. Pharmacist - ANS-b. Dietitian
Rationale: The nurse should request a referral for the client to see a dietitian. As a member of
the interprofessional team, a dietitian can examine the client's food list to see if it affects their
blood pressure. A client is being cared for by a nurse who does not fully comprehend a
scheduled surgical procedure for the following day. The nurse notifies the client's provider.
Which of the following ideas is being demonstrated by the nurse? a. Client education
b. Client advocacy
c. Accountability
d. Autonomy - ANS-b. Client advocacy
Justification: The nurse is demonstrating client advocacy. Client advocacy safeguards the
client's rights and, if necessary, provides assistance in asserting these rights. In this instance,
the nurse is protecting the client by notifying the client's provider to ensure the client completely
understands their surgery and questions are addressed.
A nurse is caring for a client who is dying and wishes to discontinue taking their medications.
By respecting the client's decision, the nurse is demonstrating which of the following ethical
principles? a. Nonmaleficence
b. Beneficence
c. Autonomy
d. ANS-c. Justice Autonomy
Rationale: The nurse is demonstrating the ethical principle of autonomy by respecting the
client's wishes. Autonomy is the ability to be able to make informed decisions independently.
Health Nursing
A client is being cared for by a community health nurse when the client informs the nurse that
they require a kidney transplant but that their insurance has been terminated. In order to provide
this client with resources, the nurse ought to be aware of which ethical principle. a. Veracity
b. Autonomy
c. Accountability
d. Justice - ANS-d. Justice
Justification: The nurse is demonstrating fairness, which is an ethical principle. The goals of
community and public health nursing are the same: to ensure that all patients receive equitable
health care and access to resources. A community health nurse is reinforcing education on
insulin administration to a client who has diabetes mellitus. Which of the following elements of
Nursing's Social Contract is the nurse demonstrating?
a. Collaboration
b. Ethical practice
c. The freedom to practice d. Promotion of the health of the public - ANS-c. Autonomy of
practice
Rationale: The nurse is demonstrating the element of autonomy of practice of nursing's social
contract. Autonomy of practice involves providing education of disease management and
insulin administration within the scope and standards of practice for a community health nurse.
A community health nurse is teaching new nurses about a situation where a nurse forgot to
refer a client to a social worker, which delayed the client's medication coverage. Which of the
following actions by the nurse demonstrates the element of responsibility and accountability
under nursing's social contract?
a. The nurse wants to talk about their workload with their supervisor. b. The nurse explains the
reason why the delay occurred.
c. The nurse makes excuses for the delay.
d. The nurse accepts fault in the delay of the client's medication coverage. - ANS-d. The nurse
accepts fault in the delay of the client's medication coverage.
Justification: The nurse is demonstrating the social contract's responsibility and accountability
by accepting responsibility for the situation. The nurse is open about the situation and has
acknowledged responsibility. A clinic employs a community health nurse to treat numerous
clients with mental health needs who do not have homes, but there is insufficient follow-up care.
How can the nurse implement Provision 9 of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of
Ethics?
a. Take charge of making the community clinic's mental health care more secure. b. To avoid
crossing professional boundaries, allow mental health caregivers to address the issue. c.
, Improve commitment to providing the best mental health care possible through continuing
education.
d. Write a letter to the head of the clinic to report the need for mental health follow-up care. -
ANS-d. Write a letter to the head of the clinic to report the need for mental health follow-up
care.
Rationale: Provision 9 of the Code of Ethics discusses the need for the nursing profession to
address national and global health concerns, as well as be involved with shaping policies
through political action, which includes writing a letter to report and address the issue. The
nurse is advocating for the need for mental health follow-up care.
A community health nurse reports that some families are in desperate need of basic
preventative health care services. Which one of the following principles is in favor of providing
resources to families in need in the community? a. Justice
b. Beneficence
c. Autonomy
d. ANS-b: non-maleficence. Beneficence
Justification: The nurse is practicing beneficence, an ethical principle. Being beneficent means
acting in the client's best interest and protecting them from harm. A nurse is caring for a client
who asks how their food choices might affect their blood pressure. To which of the following
members of the interprofessional team should the nurse refer this client?
a. Kinesiologist
b. Dietitian
c. Social worker
d. Pharmacist - ANS-b. Dietitian
Rationale: The nurse should request a referral for the client to see a dietitian. As a member of
the interprofessional team, a dietitian can examine the client's food list to see if it affects their
blood pressure. A client is being cared for by a nurse who does not fully comprehend a
scheduled surgical procedure for the following day. The nurse notifies the client's provider.
Which of the following ideas is being demonstrated by the nurse? a. Client education
b. Client advocacy
c. Accountability
d. Autonomy - ANS-b. Client advocacy
Justification: The nurse is demonstrating client advocacy. Client advocacy safeguards the
client's rights and, if necessary, provides assistance in asserting these rights. In this instance,
the nurse is protecting the client by notifying the client's provider to ensure the client completely
understands their surgery and questions are addressed.
A nurse is caring for a client who is dying and wishes to discontinue taking their medications.
By respecting the client's decision, the nurse is demonstrating which of the following ethical
principles? a. Nonmaleficence
b. Beneficence
c. Autonomy
d. ANS-c. Justice Autonomy
Rationale: The nurse is demonstrating the ethical principle of autonomy by respecting the
client's wishes. Autonomy is the ability to be able to make informed decisions independently.
